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Sharon Colman (interviewed August 2007) has an amazing story, not long, but amazing, none the less. First, is her amazing beginning, growing up in a small town on the west coast of Scotland, not knowing a soul in animation, yet having to decide between animation or working with animals, as career choices.  Drawing and Painting took over, but animation slowly drew her in, this is what she really wanted to do, so, she painstakingly cobbled together an animated film, using primarily Richard William’s book on the subject. Colman confesses that once she decided she wanted to be an animator, she locked on to that goal and never let go. Her determination, and a good deal of self-taught trial and error, paid off, with an Oscar nomination in 2007. But, we’re getting ahead of ourselves. Colman considers that first attempt at making an animated film, as not even deserving the title of “animated film”, and yet it got enough attention from people at London’s National Film and Television School, to get her a seat in that coveted college, which includes alumni such as Nick Parks … her hero, as you will discover in the interview.

This is a good moment to mention that we did the interview with Sharon Colman, on the DreamWorks “Campus”, where she now works as a Story Artist, outdoors, next to a lovely, not so quiet, babbling brook. She has so much passion for animation and the people in animation, it can’t help rubbing off you. I discovered this when I first met her at last year’s Platform Festival in Portland, Oregon. It was at a picnic on Sauvie Island, on the arm of John Canemaker. But, I digress.

So, perhaps one of the most amazing parts of her amazingly short time in animation, was her school film at NFTS. Every student must make a film to graduate, but Sharon Colman’s film was rather special, very quiet, simple, and uncluttered, with a strong comment on modern life, called Badgered. As many of you may know now, that student film became a nominee, against studio shorts, and shorts from independent filmmakers, who’ve had many years head start, quite an impressive first film, a frame of which can be seen on the right. So, sit back and relax, click the “Listen to Interview” link, and get ready for a lilting Scottish brogue, and infectious giggles.

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This episode sponsored by The UPA Project

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